Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge

The 2017 Lure Maker’s Challenge was won by PURSUIT with TANTRUM Lures . Jay Edwards angled 6 blue marlin to the boat to be tagged and set free, scoring a total of 1,200 points.

The Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series began from the deck up, way back in 1986. The Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge began as the September Challenge in 2010. This tournament has been designed with input from the top skippers of 2010. The Skippers agreed to raise the minimum weight to 400 lbs and increased the First Place Prize to 70% of the base purse.

Going forward, we are adding a fun and competitive twist to The Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge – those teams who enter Sponsored by a specific Lure Maker can fish those lures – and – the highest placing team Sponsored by and catching their fish on the Sponsored Lures will also win the Presenting Sponsor position of the tournament for the following year!

For example, Team TANTRUM Lures was the top scoring team sponsored by a Lure Maker, so this year the tournament will be called “The Lure Makers Challenge Presented by TANTRUM Lures”.

There are lots and lots of lure makers out there. Let’s see which ones are truly the most productive big game tournament lures on the water – and give them credit where credit is due!

The tournament fishes just the same as the September Challenge, with the simple addition of the Lure Maker’s sponsorship prize. For rules click here: 2015 Lure Maker’s Challenge Rules

All HMTS Tournaments abide by the International Game Fishing Association’s International Angling Rules – Rules for Fishing in Fresh and Salt Water. A copy of these rules is supplied to each team prior to fishing and is also available HERE>.

650 lb. blue tagged in Kona, Hawaii

Tantrum lures like these won the 2017 Lure Makers Challenge

Rod Bender wins “open” division of LMC 2016

Brent Masunaga, Steve Spina, Capt. Kerwin and Ziggy

Everything You Need to Know About Making Lures is in Here:

Here’s the book you have been waiting for. Lure-Making 201/202 is the second in the series of Kona Fishing Chronicles books on how to design, make and use big-game trolling lures for marlin, tuna, mahimahi, wahoo and many other major offshore gamefish. It’s a sequel to the highly popular Lure-Making 101/102. With more advanced techniques and materials, the 201/202 book helps you advance your lure-making skills so you can catch more and enjoy your offshore fishing more.